A Shadow of Doubt
by Andromeda77
Summary: An extended short story especially for Halloween. A Slytherin dare forces Ginny into the Shrieking Shack on Halloween...and during a full moon. Watch the events unfold as unexpected company arrives. Another DG fic brought to you by an obsessed fan.
1. Part 1 Millicent's Dare

Author's Note: So I thought I'd try an extended short story to spice things up a bit. I haven't neglected _Don't Wake Me From This Dream, _but I wanted to do something spur of the moment and for Halloween. This will be posted in three parts over the course of the next few days (this fic is completed). Hope you enjoy!   
Part 1: Millicent's Dare 

"I'll bet you can't do it, Weasley. I'll bet you can't stay _one entire night_ in the Shack alone." Several of the Slytherins laughed aloud as Millicent Bulstrode threw her dare out on the table for the youngest Weasley to take in. She seemed to grow a few inches as she puffed out her chest, taking in a deep breath with an expression of triumph written across her face.

Ginny felt her face growing hot, her cheeks quickly turning the color of her hair as her foolish temper got the best of her. "It's just an old shack. What do I have to be afraid of?"

"Well then," said Pansy Parkinson over Millicent's laughter. "Does that mean you'll do it?"

Ginny thought for all of a split second. "And if I win…does this mean you'll return the lion?" Her heart raced in her chest as she felt the anger bubbling up inside again. One of the Slytherins had managed to find their way into the Gryffindor common room the day before and had stolen their beloved, golden mascot. It was an ongoing trick, really, to see who could pull the cruelest prank during the Halloween season. And it had been Ginny who'd foolishly let the first year through the portrait hole as he claimed to have forgotten the password. With so many new students this year she assumed that the red and gold accenting on his robes were proof enough that he resided in the same house as she. Ginny swallowed hard as the lump in her chest refused to go down, anticipating Pansy's answer.

Pansy gave a long, thoughtful sigh and raised her eyebrows to the other members of her squad, receiving mischievous nods from them all. "Why not," she said. "I suppose the damage has been done and your egos have been taken down a peg or two from our little sting." She held out her hand to shake Ginny's so the deal could be sealed.

Ginny gripped Pansy's hand rather hard as she responded. "Then it's done. So when do you want me to stay?"

"Why, Halloween, of course." Pansy's smile spread across her seemingly innocent face. "After the feast, Weasley, we'll meet you out at the Whomping Willow and escort you up to the Shack through the passageway. There will be a Slytherin standing guard near the entrance gate to the Shack, as well as one in the passageway. That way, if you even think of trying to leave, your beloved lion will become the giant squid's new toy. Understood?"

Ginny wanted nothing more than to scratch the eyeballs from Pansy's conceited face, but she knew that the spoiled, only daughter of Selibus Parkinson was goading her. Pansy had her right where she wanted and Ginny had no choice but to succumb to her wishes. She was determined to get the lion back or die trying.

"Fine. I'll see you after the feast, then." With that, Ginny turned on her heel and headed off down the corridor, unaware of the curious bystander poking his blond head out of the shadows.

**XXXXX**

"So what's going on with the Weasel's little sis?" The other Slytherins were startled when Draco Malfoy's slow drawl seemingly came from out of nowhere and they jumped as he emerged from the shadows.

Pansy gave a relieved sigh followed by a loud laugh. "Oh Draco, you should have _seen_ her! Groveling at our feet in an attempt to get that sodding, old lion back. Listen to how classic this story is…"

Draco stood in the midst of the group as Pansy relived the conversation between Ginny and the other Slytherins, clearly quite proud of herself for prodding the young Gryffindor along.

"…and the best part," she continued, "is that we aren't even going to give her that ridiculous thing back. She's going to stay in that shack the whole night and we're going to make sure she gets scared out of her wits. Nott and Zabini already have a full list of things in store for her."

"Like what?" Draco glanced over at his fellow housemates as they smiled wickedly.

"Oh…just ideas," said Pansy with a mysterious air to her voice. "Trust us, Draco - Weasley is going to run screaming from that place." Pansy laughed aloud. "Well…if she's _able_ to run, that is."

Draco said nothing. He'd never admitted to himself how often he'd stared at Weasley in the corridors between classes. She'd never backed down where he was concerned and that fact alone seemed to start a slow blaze burning in his chest. Draco would never let himself be associated with a pureblood of her kind, growing up with the idea to embrace Muggle-borns as one of their own, but something inside him just wouldn't let a horrible incident such as this befall her. He was determined to do something about it, unbeknownst to the other Slytherins.

He raised his chin and looked at Pansy. "I'll do it."

"What?" Pansy looked confused. "What do you mean you'll do it?"

"I mean that I owe that little wench for that bat bogey hex she threw on me last year in Umbridge's office. I'm not letting this opportunity go, Pansy, and you're going to let me do it. Just me. You got it?"

Pansy gave him a slow nod, clearly unsure of why she should turn over their brilliant plan to Draco, but unwilling to tell the boy of her dreams no. She immediately caved in. "Alright," she said a bit uncertainly. "Do you…do you want some help with any-"

"Nope. You've set this up just perfectly, doll." He gave her an affectionate clip on the chin and she smiled back at him, a tinge of pink appearing in her cheeks. Draco continued, for good measure, "Weasley's going to wish she'd kept that wand in her pocket last year."

Pansy slipped her arm in his and Draco walked off down the corridor with his band of Slytherins, thoughts racing wildly as to what he'd just gotten himself into.

**XXXX**

"Stop hounding me, Ron. Nothing you say is going to change my mind and I _have_ to get that lion back. Besides, you and I both know the story behind the Shrieking Shack is nothing more than a myth. A falsehood created by Dumbledore to give Remus a place to conceal himself during a full moon." Ginny was fighting her brother tooth and nail over the bet she'd agreed to take.

"It's not that I'm worried about the Shack, Ginny." Ron was growing quite impatient with her as his urgent whispers rose to carry over the noise in the Common Room. "The Slytherins have something in store for you and I know it. You'll never get me to believe it's going to be as simple as you just sitting in there by yourself all night."

"Then I'll _deal _with it." Ginny's response was very matter-of-fact. "So they might play a few tricks to try and spook me out. So what? I've never scared easily and you know it. They aren't going to hurt me! It's one sodding night and…" Ron began to interrupt her but she'd have none of it… "_AND – _if I get into trouble I'll shoot some sparks out the window. Heaven knows you'll be sleeping up on the Astronomy Tower anyway – keeping watch."

Ginny shoved a bag into his hands before he could say another word. "Here. Once the feast is over I want you to toss this out the window of the boys' dormitory. There's some stuff in here that I'll need and I can't very well walk out the front door of the castle with a bag slung over my shoulder, can I?"

Ron held the bag limply as he glared at her. "_Fine!_ But for the record, I _still_ don't agree with this and you can bloody well bet I'll be sleeping up in the Astronomy Tower so I can see if you get into trouble."

Ginny scoffed and made her way to the portrait hole, stepped through it and was halfway down the Grand Staircase without incident. However, she was so put-out by her brother's behavior that she was blind to the trick step on the third floor and tumbled forward several steps before taking someone down with her. The rolling heap of black robes came to a sudden halt as they hit the second floor landing, one on top of the other, and Ginny stared right into the most powerful set of gray eyes she'd ever seen. Her heart skipped a beat as his gaze captured hers while he appeared to be searching her deepest thoughts. Until…

"Weasley! What in bloody hell are you _doing?"_

Draco Malfoy was scowling and shoving Ginny from his chest as she realized just who it was she was lying on top of. She stood up quickly, brushing off her robes as she tried to find something to say to hide the embarrassment she was feeling. How could _Malfoy_ have stirred her up so much?

"I tripped, alright?" Ginny turned to leave, truly not wanting any more interaction between them, but Malfoy interrupted her departure.

"No apology then?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "You knocked me down a flight of stairs."

It wasn't in Ginny's nature to be impolite when she'd done something wrong - even to Malfoy. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to knock into you when I fell…I just wasn't paying attention." Her voice trailed off as she turned to leave again, but Draco's words slowed her steps once more.

"So do you think you'll make it?"

When she turned to look at him his arms were folded across his chest, a rather smug look painted across his face.

"What do you mean?" She knew very well what he was getting at, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Tonight. Do you think you'll manage to stick it out or will you turn chicken and run? I hear that lion means an _awful lot_ to the Gryffindors." Draco's thumb gave a careless touch to the tip of his nose as he continued to taunt her. "Of all the nights to stay up there. Halloween. And during a full-moon, no less."

Thoughts were running rampant inside Ginny's head as she imagined Malfoy and the other Slytherins having a good laugh in their house common room at her expense and she no longer felt the politeness she'd demonstrated a moment before. However, instead of lashing out at his rude remarks she rolled her eyes and started down the steps again before saying over her shoulder, "I'll see you around, Malfoy."

Had Ginny turned to look at him again she would've seen those gray eyes softening as he thought, _"Yeah, Weasley, you bet you will." _

**XXXX**

Draco slowly walked the passageway to the Shrieking Shack on his own, fully aware that he'd find a few stray Slytherins at the other end, but ready to relieve them of their duties once he arrived. He didn't want to enter the house while they lingered in the passage below, knowing full well that they would not, in fact, let him do this alone.

Truth be told, ever since Draco had insisted on being the sole instigator for this little plan he'd been taking a mental beating for it. He didn't want Weasley subjected to the torture the others would've put her through, but if Draco didn't do _something_ to her his classmates would most certainly question him. They would wonder why he was unable to deliver the torment and he'd lose face. What a predicament he'd gotten himself into.

He pulled away from those thoughts as he saw a small flicker of light up ahead and the sounds of whispering coming from the same direction. After a few moments more, Millicent's face, and then Nott's, swam into view.

"You made it." Nott directed his words at Draco as he tried to hide his annoyance. "We were beginning to wonder, you know?"

Draco gave Nott a hard glare as he gestured to the trap door above his head.

"So this is it, then?"

"Yeah. This'll lead you right into the heart of the Shack, but you'll need to follow the staircase up to the top floor. From there, there's a small door to get into the attic and you'll be able to see her more easily. Zabini and I have already checked it out."

Draco nodded his head at Nott and looked over at Millicent. "Did Pansy tell you?"

Millicent's expression mirrored the dumb-founded looks that Crabbe and Goyle usually gave him. "Tell me…what?"

"You guys are relieved of your duty. Once I go in I want you back in the Common Room. I'm doing this alone and I can't chance one of the other house Prefects discovering that you're gone. One Slytherin won't be missed, but the entire lot of you will."

Millicent looked highly disappointed as she agreed to Malfoy's terms and Nott lifted the trap door for Draco to enter. "Make us proud, mate." A note of sarcasm was evident in his voice.

Draco simply nodded and put a leg up through the opening, stopping halfway through to say again, "Remember what I said…back to the Common Room."

Nott rolled his eyes as he and Millicent nodded their heads and Draco disappeared through the opening, closing the door behind him. He could hear their soft whispers departing down the tunnel and stood on the door for several moments, making certain they didn't return. Once Draco was sure he was alone he headed off in the direction of the staircase, giving quick glances over his shoulders as he went.

The place was spooky. He'd never entered the Shack before and felt a slight prickle as the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Weasley had definitely been a fool to agree to this but he smiled to himself as he remembered what a fiery little witch she was. Draco stopped dead in his tracks.

"_You _have_ to stop thinking like that! What in bloody hell do you see in her?"_

He tried to shake every thought from his head as he concentrated on climbing the staircase. There were spiders spinning their webs along the railing and rat droppings dotting each and every step. It was the most disgusting place he'd ever been in and a piece of him _wanted_ to scare the living hell out of Weasley just so they could return to Hogwarts to sleep in a nice, warm, spider-free bed. Draco gave one last shudder as he imagined what the attic was going to be like.

"_Just get it over with. It's one sodding night and then you'll be done with it."_

He reached the door leading into the attic and used his wand to cast _Alohomora_ to open it, half out of habit, and half out of repulsion for not wanting to touch it. He stepped inside and immediately searched the space above his head, clearly afraid of getting a spider-web entangled in his blond tresses. Draco was pleasantly surprised at how much cleaner the attic was than the rest of the house, but that thought quickly left his head as he heard a slamming noise beneath him.

Draco shut the door to the attic behind him and tiptoed to a crack in the floor directly above the staircase, giving him a clear view of the approaching intruder below him.

**XXXX**

Ginny heard the old house whistling and screaming above her head as she approached the end of the passageway, yet she took a slow breath and continued on her path. Pansy and several of the other Slytherins were following in her wake, noticeably uncomfortable with the sounds overhead, but wanting to make sure Ginny kept up her end of the deal. They'd run into Millicent Bulstrode and Theodore Nott about halfway into the passage, both of them looking rather sulky, and neither saying much of anything as they passed by them on their way back toward the school. Ginny was wondering if they'd planted any surprises in the Shack for her as she climbed the short flight of stone steps leading up to the trap door. She turned around to face Pansy.

"Well, this is where I get off. Guess I'll be seeing you guys in the morning," she said with a hint of sarcasm. Just as Ginny put her hand up to push the trap door open, Pansy stopped her.

"Don't forget, Weasley…not until dawn. You see that sunlight coming up over the hill or you can forget about the lion, got it?"

Ginny glared at her with narrowed eyes before pushing her way up through the door and demonstrated her fearlessness by slamming it more forcefully than she'd intended. Once the echo had died down Ginny could hear the wind blowing through the cracks of the walls and pulled her cloak tightly over her shoulders. Taking a deep breath and clutching her bag to her chest, Ginny turned to look up at the staircase.

"_It's just a house," _she thought. _"You know full well that there's no truth to those haunted stories..."_

But Ginny wasn't entirely convinced as she'd never stepped foot in the place until now. She'd only received her information secondhand from Ron, Harry and Hermione to rebuke a rumor she'd heard her brothers talk about her entire life.

"…_but what if there IS truth to the rumors?"_

Ginny grew angry with herself for having these thoughts. She shook her head, gathered her courage and slowly began to climb the stairs. Each new step creaked louder than the last, but Ginny finally reached the top and her eyes scanned the hallway. It smelled of mold and she'd never seen so much dust in her life, but Ginny picked the most comfortable bedroom that she could find. After settling herself down on a tattered rug in the corner of the room she untied the drawstrings on her bag and pulled out the contents. Ginny carefully laid next to her a pile of pumpkin pasties, two bottles of butterbeer, a book, a blue knit sweater with a "G" on the front (one of her mum's Christmas gifts to her) and a tiny jelly jar with Hermione's distinctive bluebell flame spell burning away inside. Ginny removed the lid and let the heat pour out onto her face and hands. The house was warmer than she'd expected yet she was still quite chilly.

Ginny gave another look around the room. _"Well…so far, so good. But _now _what am I supposed to do?"_

She put her sweater on and leaned up against the wall as she covered her legs with the blanket. Setting the jelly jar next to her elbow, Ginny picked up her book – a Muggle romance novel that Hermione had given her for her last birthday - and began reading where she'd left off. She was four or five chapters in and just approaching the part where Reginald rescued Lady Daphne from a band of robbers when a crashing noise drew her from the plot and Ginny jumped up with wand in hand. Her mouth fell open as the wand dropped several inches. She couldn't believe her eyes!

**XXXX**

Draco held his breath as he stared through the crack for what seemed like hours. Finally, just as his leg began to cramp, a red head appeared and he took a sigh of relief. _"She's here," _he thought. _"Guess it's time to find out what the night has in store."_ The only problem was that Draco still had no clue.

He stood as still as he could while Ginny paced the hallway searching for a place to spend the night. Once she'd settled on a room, Draco tiptoed softly to a spot directly above her, ever thankful for the noise of the wind so he wouldn't be heard. He had a perfect view of her through the old rafters and rotting wood and promptly settled himself down to relieve the cramps in his legs.

Draco watched as Ginny pulled some items from her bag - a wise decision on her part to make her stay more comfortable. He could feel a tiny bit of heat generating from a small glass jar that she held in her hands and wondered why he didn't think of bringing such luxuries with him. His stomach gave a growl as his eyes fell on Ginny's butterbeer and pumpkin pasties sitting next to her.

He shook his head. _"What are you doing here, Draco? You're supposed to be back at Hogwarts enjoying the after-party in the Common Room, but nooooo – you had to have your head turned by some annoying little witch-"_

Draco stopped his thought mid-sentence as Ginny lifted the hair off her neck and began to massage an apparently aching muscle.

"_Christ!"_

He closed his eyes and refused to look at her. Draco needed to come up with a game plan and figure out how to get through this mess he'd landed himself in. As hard as he tried to keep his eyes shut to think of one he found himself staring down at her once more. It was as though the wind outside had stopped blowing and he could hear her soft breathing – not to mention he swore that the smell of her shampoo was wafting up through the cracks in the floor. He shook his head once more and hastily wiped the tiny balls of sweat forming on his forehead. Draco just couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her. He'd give anything to be invisible right now so that he could sit next to her and watch the graceful movements she made as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, delicately turning the pages of her book, sucking in her bottom lip as she became engrossed in the text.

"_What is it about her?" _Draco closed his eyes again and his imagination began to wander to places that it shouldn't go.

He was smiling to himself, unaware of how long he'd been lost in his thoughts, when a curious cracking noise whipped his mind back to reality. Draco had no time to react before a free-falling sensation hit his stomach and his body tore through the ceiling, landing just inches from Weasley. He was afraid to look up and it seemed like an eternity before she spoke to him.

"Malfoy!" Ginny raised her wand a few inches, the shock evident on her face. "What are _you_ doing here?"

_Thanks to Shelly and Judy for the beta work, Laura for the inspiration and delicious plot bunny, and to Shelly again for a **much** better title. ;) _


	2. Part 2 The Confrontation

**Author's Note: **You guys are getting this chapter a little sooner than expected because I'm leaving town today. This is the shortest chapter and tomorrow will be the longest. Expect part three sometime tomorrow. Enjoy!

**Part 2: The Confrontation**

Draco said nothing as Ginny stared down at him questioningly. He felt red in the face, embarrassed by the images he'd been visualizing before he fell, but the humiliation quickly turned to callousness as he got to his feet.

"What did you think, Weasley? That the Slytherins were going to trust you'd stay in this house all night by yourself on nothing but a dare?" He spat the words out as though she was nothing but the dust beneath his feet. "We don't trust your Muggle-loving filth as far as we could throw you."

Draco felt his backbone begin to crumble as soon as the words left his mouth. He didn't want to speak to her in this way and felt a pain in his chest the moment he saw her bottom lip tremble ever so slightly. He wanted nothing more than to apologize to her. All within a split second, Draco imagined taking her soft hands and pulling her into his chest. However, the thought didn't last for long as Ginny's words fell on him like a ton of bricks.

"You're such a spoiled little prat, Malfoy. You care nothing for others or their feelings and you'll never be fit to love anyone but yourself. This is all a game to you, isn't it? I came up here tonight because my housemates _mean_ something to me. I foolishly let one of your conniving, little Slytherin friends into our common room and I mean to get that lion back. If you think I'm here because of some kind of dare you're wrong! I'm here because of _them_. Because of all the other Gryffindors I let down. And that's something you'll never be able to identify with as long as your feet touch this earth. So you can stop stalking me, and cast aside any attempts you might have for trying to scare me out because you won't. I'm keeping up my end of the deal, Malfoy, and _nothing_ is going to drive me from this house tonight."

Draco felt a sting he'd never felt before spread from his cheeks to the tips of his toes. He truly didn't know how to react and to be honest…she'd made him feel worse than he ever remembered feeling. He didn't have time to collect his thoughts before Draco heard himself speaking aloud.

"Look, I came up here so that you'd be spared, alright?"

Ginny blinked once, turned her head to the side with a dumbfounded expression and could only muster a very blunt "Huh?"

"The other Slytherins…they had plans for you. I don't give a rat's ass about your stupid lion, Weasley, I just…figured they might do something to hurt you and I honestly didn't want that."

Draco shut his mouth before he could say anything more and let the mental beatings begin. _"Oh. My. God! Draco, what are you saying to her?"_

Ginny jerked her head back a good inch and a half in disbelief as she was obviously searching for the words to respond. "So let me get this straight. You came here to…_protect me_?"

He could feel his eyes narrowing as a twinge of anger formed near the corners. "Don't go flattering yourself, Weasley, and perceiving it the wrong way. I just know how capable some of the others are at taking advantage of…females, is all."

Ginny's expression had gone from confused, to somewhat smug, and then it was completely unreadable to Draco. He stood staring at her, unable to say another word…waiting for her to break through the sound of the wind tearing at the walls of the Shack.

**XXXX**

Ginny was afraid to move. It was as though she'd entered some bizarre dream, unable to wake from it, yet not really sure that she wanted to. Malfoy's news at trying to protect her had run Ginny down like a herd of stampeding hippogriffs. She felt oddly comforted by this gesture, and the stare of those steely gray eyes only added to the melting sensation she now felt in her stomach. There was a tiny piece of her that was actually happy to see him.

Draco broke his gaze with Ginny and stared down at his feet, apparently searching for the words to break this silence between them. She was just about to do it for him when, at that precise moment, one of the shutters on the windows was ripped from the house in the torrent of winds causing both Draco and Ginny to step toward one another in alarm. Whatever it was that Ginny was about to say flew from her brain and it felt like an eternity before either of them spoke.

"It's windy out," was all that Draco could muster.

Ginny nodded her head, wanting so badly to still be mad at him, but unable to be in the face of what he'd said. "I hadn't realized it so much since I took the tunnel." He was holding her gaze and Ginny diverted her eyes to avoid revealing the heated sensation she felt by standing too close to him.

"_Get a grip, Ginny," _she thought. _"You can't stand the boy and it's nothing more than those beautiful gray eyes he has."_

She was just about to say something else when Draco took a step back, clearly flustered from the entire incident.

"Look, Weasley, you don't have to worry about me messing with you tonight, okay. I'll just…be out here in the stairwell."

Ginny's mind went racing and Draco had all but made it to the hallway before she called him back.

"Malfoy?"

He poked his head back inside the door in wonderment.

She sighed, barely audible. "What are the other Slytherins going to say?"

"What do you mean?" He gave her a curious look.

"They're expecting you to run me out, aren't they? They…they don't know why you're really here."

He shrugged his shoulders and appeared somewhat annoyed at her question. "Nothing I can do about it now, Weasley. Why? Got any brilliant ideas?" Draco's signature smirk was set perfectly on his face.

"Actually, yeah. How 'bout you get me that lion back and neither one of us has to stay in this sodding, old house a minute longer?"

"What do you mean?" Draco said for the second time.

"I mean…that I'll let you run me out if you'll promise to give me the lion back. You make yourself look good, I get what I came for, and we don't have to freeze sitting in this dump all night."

Ginny stared at the absent look on Draco's face, wondering why he looked so deep in thought. Why would he be taking so long to answer her?

**XXXX**

Weasley's proposition had taken Draco off guard. Sleeping in his warm bed was highly appealing, yes, but Draco had experienced plenty of warmth standing next to her just moments before. As ridiculous as it might sound, he no longer felt like returning to the school.

"_Don't be an idiot." _He thought. _"She's offering to let you both off the hook and all you have to do is give her that stupid mascot." _Draco stared off into the distance as he pondered the idea. _"But I don't _want_ to return to the school."_ He'd made up his mind.

"I don't think so, Weasley," he said. "After all…that would give you entirely too much satisfaction now, wouldn't it?"

Draco knew the consequences of his words before he'd even spat them out. Ginny turned on him, sending her book flying to the floor as her face, once again, turned the color of her hair. He was smiling within as he watched the anger building inside her…and he was enjoying every minute of it. Ginny looked just about ready to verbally tear his head off when a sound made the hair on the back of Draco's neck stand up.

"Owwwooooo!"

Ginny interrupted the scene she was about to cause to stare directly at Draco. "What was that?"

"It sounded like…a wolf." Draco was afraid to say what it _really_ sounded like because saying it aloud might make it so. _"It can't be…a werewolf. Can it?"_

"What…what kind of wolf?" Ginny's face had gone from red to white in a manner of seconds.

Draco didn't answer her. He stepped over to the window with the missing shutter and looked out onto the lawn where the full moon cast its shadows. Once Draco's eyes were able to adjust, he saw a large animal bent on all fours pacing the area near the entrance of the Shack. Just as Draco let out a gasp, it entered the front door. Without thinking of anything else, Draco grabbed Ginny's wrist and yanked her from the room.

"Malfoy! What…"

"Stop talking, Weasley!" He all but screamed the words at her as he hastily pulled her down the hallway to the small door leading into the attic.

"But why—"

"I said be quiet!" Draco had no time to be polite with her. It was imperative they get to the safest spot in the house as swiftly as they could.

Draco shoved her inside the attic and glanced over his shoulder before stepping inside. The hallway was vacant, but a strange scratching sound was heard from the stairwell as if the beast was pawing at the floor. He turned to face Ginny, his heart racing so fast that he could hardly take a breath.

Ginny stepped toward him and lowered her voice. "It…it was a werewolf, wasn't it?"

**XXXX**

Draco just stared at her as she asked the inevitable. He was panic-stricken, but his concern for getting them to safety made her appreciate him in a way that she never thought possible. Whatever it was that had angered her in the other room was long gone from Ginny's head.

"Yes," he finally answered her question, as though he was having trouble admitting it aloud. "I saw it come in through the front door."

"But…what's a werewolf doing _here_?"Ginny wished she hadn't said the words the moment they left her mouth.

"Maybe it's Lupin," he said with a scornful drawl. "Out for a little moonlight stroll."

Ginny chose to ignore his comment, refusing to give Draco the satisfaction of stirring her up again about someone her family considered a close friend. He obviously took her silence as a hint and stepped around Ginny, looking up at the countless number of rafters ascending their way to the rooftop. "We need to climb higher and see if we can break through."

Ginny took a moment to digest this before thinking that Draco was out of his mind. "Break through what? The roof?"

"It's an old house, Ginny. We have no choice but to try and use a blasting curse to get our way through. It shouldn't be too hard."

Ginny felt her face flush but she couldn't put her finger on the reason why. It might have had something to do with the fact that she hadn't thought of using a blasting curse to bust their way out. Then again, it might've been the fact that Draco had called her by her first name.

"Look," Draco spoke out of turn, "I heard it coming up the stairs just as we closed the attic door. I'm sure it doesn't know we're here yet and I'd kind of like to keep it that way. We have nothing to use for a defense unless you count a load of dust, some cobwebs and an old broom." Draco gestured at a corner of the attic where an old broom lay. "It's impossible to go back the way we came and this is the only idea that I have. There's no time, Weasley, so let's climb up before it knows we're here."

He hoisted himself up onto the first rafter and held out a hand to pull Ginny up. Her heart had fallen a bit at hearing him call her Weasley again, but she reluctantly put a hand up to grasp his open palm. At the precise moment that Draco's skin touched hers, a sensation like none she'd ever felt trailed up Ginny's arm, down her torso and settled so low that her body all but went limp. He bent over as far as he could and, using his free hand to clasp Ginny's other arm, pulled her up the rest of the way.

"You could help, you know?" He seemed agitated with her. "I can't hoist a bunch of dead weight all the way to the roof."

Draco had finished his sentence just as he'd lifted Ginny to his level; as she steadied herself on the rafter and looked up into his gray eyes, a tinge of pink appeared in her cheeks. Ginny's gaze fell from his penetrating stare down to his neck, where he gave a hard swallow. She held her breath as Draco looked away suddenly, continuing his climb toward the underside of the roof.

"_Why does he keep having this effect on me?"_

As Ginny glanced up at the rafter above her head she heard a queer scratching noise coming from the attic door several feet below her. She didn't have to turn her head and look down to know the seriousness of the situation, for Draco's eyes widened and he pulled her up with such urgency that every thought but getting to the roof as quickly as possible was erased from her head. They climbed as fast as they could, rafter after rafter, until they'd reached the top where Draco promptly found the weakest spot he could and blasted a hole clean through the shingles.

"Ginny, hurry and pull yourself up through the hole!" His hands grasped her waist as though intending to boost her up but she hesitated.

"Draco, wait! What do we do once we get through? It's…it's going to follow us!"

"I honestly don't know. Just hurry!" Draco's face was white as a ghost, but he was unselfishly putting her safety ahead of his own as he helped her through the hole.

Ginny pulled her legs through and held on tight to the shingles as she maneuvered herself around to help Draco. She was just sticking her head back through the opening with her arm outstretched when she caught sight of an animal bursting its way through the attic door.

"Oh, God - Draco it's here. Hurry!" Ginny was frantically grabbing at his hands and pulling him up through the hole as she wondered how they were going to get themselves safely on the ground. Just as Draco's body was fully resting on the shingles, a thought struck her. "The broom!"

"The what?" Draco was rolling over quickly to look her in the face.

Ginny ignored his question as she produced her wand and, sticking her arm back through, shot it at the corner of the attic where the broom still lay. "_Accio broom!"_

The broom rose from its spot on the floor and into Ginny's open hand just as the werewolf began to climb the rafters with a vengeance. She held the broom out to Draco as he, without question, quickly climbed on the front while Ginny settled herself in behind him. She wrapped her arms about his waist trying desperately to fight off the many thoughts and sensations running through her head.

Draco turned to look at her. "Are you holding on tight, Ginny?"

She nodded her head just as he kicked off from the shingles and they soared into the open air, leaving the beast howling at them from the attic below.


	3. Part 3 The Union

**Part 3: The Union**

Draco took his time finding a spot to put them down. It was true that the old broom flew a bit squirrelly in the air, but he prolonged their flight so that he could enjoy Ginny's arms around his waist. He finally gave a small sigh and set the broom down near Hogsmeade.

"You alright?" He asked, as she lifted her leg from the broom.

"Yes. You?" Ginny seemed suddenly bashful toward him and he didn't know whether to feel flattered or annoyed.

He nodded his head in answer. "I'm good." Draco gestured at the broom still in his hand. "This was quick thinking on your part."

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling in the light of the moon. "So what are we supposed to do now?"

Draco stared off toward the town. "Well, we certainly can't risk getting back onto the grounds without the tunnel. Not this late at night, anyway." He gave a short pause as he heard a growl in his stomach. He was hungry and it honestly wasn't a bad idea to get some food seeing as they were probably going to be caught anyway. "Should we stop in at the Three Broomsticks to have a bite to eat and some butterbeer?"

Ginny gazed off toward a light shining from the windows of the local pub they often frequented. "It's awfully late, though. Won't Madam Rosmerta be closing?"

Draco waved his hand at her as though it weren't a problem. "She knows my father. I can guarantee you she won't deny us service."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "Is that _all_ you can do is give praise to yourself by referencing how importantyou think your father is?"

Draco felt his face redden, half out of rage and half out of embarrassment. He was working hard to suppress his anger and answered her through gritted teeth. "I was just saying…that I thought we could get a drink."

Ginny ignored his comment for the second time and started off toward the town by herself, clearly irritated with him but obviously determined to let it be.

It drove him crazy. Draco was ready to bait her with whatever he could come up with.

"Weasley, what's your bloody problem anyway? The way you put on airs, I'd almost swear you were put into the wrong house!"

Draco carefully crossed his arms against his chest and waited for the lashing he was about to enjoy, yet he was surprised by her reaction as she walked back to face him.

"Alright, let's get a few things straight…" Ginny paused as though she was contemplating what it was she was about to say.

"Yes?" Draco raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"First, you've managed to call me by my first name three times tonight so I know you're capable of it and it won't hurt you to continue. Second, you're being an awful git to someone who just saved your skin. And third," she put her hands on her hips to emphasize her final point. "You couldn't _handle_ me being in Slytherin house, if that's what you were implying."

As Ginny began to walk off, Draco chased after her, raising his voice as he went. "Excuse me, _GINNY_, but what in bloody hell is that supposed to mean…I couldn't _handle_ you being in Slytherin—"

But whatever it was Draco was about to say got cut off by the softest pair of lips he'd ever felt. Ginny had abruptly spun on her heel, thrown her arms about his neck, and closed in on him faster than he could blink. Draco gave into her completely as he deepened the kiss, welcoming the warm feeling that settled in his groin from the feel of her touch. After several moments, Ginny released herself from his grasp and her seductive stare was boring a hole right through him.

He couldn't think. He couldn't even be quite sure he was breathing until her next words brought him back to reality.

"_That_ is what I meant." Once again, Ginny turned on her heel and continued on her path to Madam Rosmerta's.

**XXXX**

Ginny touched the tip of her fingers to her lips, quite astounded at what she'd just done, but thoroughly pleased with herself. She'd never enjoyed anything so much as that kiss and she wanted more. She _needed_ more. But now she'd gotten herself into such a mess that it was hard to form a straight thought.

"Ginny, wait!" Draco was running to catch up with her. She'd evidently left him so stunned that she was a good twenty or so paces ahead of him by the time he trailed after her.

"Wait up," he said again.

Her embarrassment was slowly catching up with her. _"Oh Ginny, why are you so impulsive? How can you erase what you've just done?" _She couldn't wrap her head around any of it. "_And if Ron ever finds out…"_ Ginny never finished her last thought.

"Oh my God, RON!" She turned to face Draco, the words escaping her lips as nothing more than a whisper.

Draco's eyes grew cold, once more. "_Ron?_ What in bloody hell are you on about now?"

"We have to go back!" Ginny was grasping at the old broom Draco still held in his hand.

"What do you mean 'we have to go back'? Go back where?"

"It's Ron. He would've seen the sparks from that blast and he'll be coming to help me. He was sleeping in the Astronomy Tower tonight to make sure I'd be safe."

"He was _what_?"

"He was going to look for me to fire any sparks in case I got into trouble and I _know _he would've seen that blast. We have to go back to the Shack."

"Your brother can sod off for all I care, Weasley. Besides, he won't attempt your rescue without his two sidekicks and you can be sure Potter the Hero or Granger the Bookworm won't let anything happen to him."

Without giving it any thought, Ginny promptly slapped Draco right across the face as hard as she could. "How _dare _you make such a comment when you know bloody well and good that my brother might be bitten by a werewolf tonight, Draco. And furthermore, if you call me _Weasley_ once more before the sun comes up you're going to wish you'd _never_ crossed my path. I'll hex you so badly, you'll be wishing every day that it had been something as simple as a Bat Bogey, do you understand?"

Draco blinked slowly, yet said nothing as Ginny held out her hand for the broom. He shook his head at her and threw a leg over the handle. "No. I'm not letting you go back alone. Get on."

Had there been more time Ginny would've argued to fly back on her own. However, under the circumstances, she climbed on behind him as Draco rapidly kicked off from the ground heading back toward the Shack.

**XXXX**

Draco felt worse than he'd ever felt in his life. Insulting the Trio was in his nature, yes, but he'd never make Ginny believe that he didn't mean what he'd just said…nor did he even want to try. He hated the lot of them and wanted nothing more than to see them all fail miserably. But to be bitten by a werewolf? He shouldn't have been so callous about it. His pride hurt so badly that it angered him and all he wanted to do was leave her at the shack and never set eyes on her again. He swallowed every ounce of pride he had in him as he set the broom down on the edge of the lawn. Draco didn't even have time to say a word before she was off and running toward the front door. Out of sheer panic he chased after her and, once he caught up, grabbed her arm more roughly than he intended.

"Are you out of your mind?" He steadied his breathing and lowered his voice, taking nervous glances over his shoulder toward the shack the entire time. "You can't just go running in there."

"Let go of me," she yanked her arm from his grasp, fire burning in her eyes. "You don't care what happens to my brother and I can do this alone. And furthermore, stop trying to show this false concern over my well-being."

"Look, I _don't_ care what happens to your brother and his friends - that's the truth. But, Ginny, I didn't mean what I said about the werewolf, all right? I wouldn't wish that on anyone." She'd stopped moving and was obviously waiting for him to finish. "And for that matter…I don't have _false_ concern over your well-being, either." He felt his face begin to redden as he took her hand and pulled her back into the shadow of the trees. "I told you the only reason I even came to this sodding place tonight was so you wouldn't get hurt. That said…I'm not leaving you."

Her face softened and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently on the cheek. "Why don't you let anyone else see him?"

"See who?" Draco was perplexed.

"Draco," she said softly.

It was as though Ginny had opened some invisible door that let in a ray of sunshine. It was an odd sort of compliment, really, but Draco was no fool. He'd understood immediately what she was trying to say and it made him feel altered to some extent, as though some other force was at work controlling his thoughts and emotions.

"Well…let's get this over with." He took her hand again and led her around to the back of the house where they snaked their way to the windows. Carefully peering in through the glass, Draco noted that the trap door was still closed from Ginny's entrance hours earlier. "I don't think he's in here."

"What do you mean?" The disbelief was somewhat evident in her voice.

"I mean that the trap door is still closed. If Ron had been in any kind of a hurry to get to you, he wouldn't have bothered closing it behind him, you think?"

Ginny looked like she was pondering Draco's reasoning, but still seemed unconvinced. "I think I should sneak into the house. I don't hear any noise coming from inside which leads me to think the werewolf is gone."

Draco was exasperated. "Ginny, Ron's not there! As you just said you don't hear anything from inside and if he _did _burst through the trap door looking for you we'd be bound to hear him calling your name as he searched the place."

"But what if he's been bitten and he's lying in there bleeding half to death? I have to go insi--"

Ginny never finished her sentence for the same familiar scratching noise was heard behind them and, as they turned toward the noise, they saw a large wolf-like animal standing a mere ten feet from them. It wasn't moving, but staring them down as if trying to study its prey.

"Ginny…have your wand ready." Draco spoke the words in nothing more than a whisper. "On the count of three we're going to do a knockback jinx on him and once we do I want you to run in the house and down into the tunnel, understand?"

"Draco, I—"

"Ginny, I'm not messing around. Now on _three! _One. Two…"

They drew their wands and sent the werewolf flying into the air as an indescribable noise escaped its mouth. Ginny did as Draco had told her and ran behind him up into the house. He hesitated momentarily before backing his way into the entry, wand arm still raised and waiting for the beast to turn.

**XXXX**

Ginny ran into the house as fast as her legs could carry her, but her sense of responsibility wouldn't allow her to head for the tunnel. She stormed up the flight of steps yelling Ron's name, determined to find him if he was here. Down the hallway she ran, searching the bedrooms as quickly as she could, but finding no trace of her brother.

Ginny found herself in the bedroom she'd occupied earlier and crossed the room to the corner where her things were scattered about. A tiny blue flame was still burning inside the long forgotten jelly jar. Bending down to retrieve it, Ginny capped a lid on it and shoved it into the pocket of her robes for safekeeping before she hurried her way down the staircase to meet Draco in the tunnel.

Halfway down the stairs Ginny heard a deafening scream come from the exterior of the shack. _"Why is Draco still outside?"_ She completed her descent and ran toward the open door she'd just entered, searching the lawn with her eyes but finding no sign of Draco or the werewolf. Ginny drew her wand and circled the house, still finding no trace of them.

"DRACO!" Ginny yelled at the top of her lungs hoping to hear some plea or cry of help from Draco so that she could find him, but silence inevitably followed. Her heartbeat rang in her ears as the only sound she could hear and the tears began to fall on her cheeks. "Oh God, what have I done?" she said aloud. "Why did I leave him like that after everything he's done for me tonight?" She ran into the shadows among the trees, still calling his name until a scene unfolded before her that made her stop dead in her tracks.

The werewolf, still standing, lay motionless against a low iron fence, stabbed through the heart with the tip of a fence post. It appeared to be dead, but Ginny kept her distance and cried out Draco's name once more. She tore the jelly jar from her robes and pointed her wand at it yelling "_Engorgio," _to bring the tiny flame to life. Using its light, Ginny continued to search the area for any sign of Draco. Exhausted, she fell to her knees and let the tears run down her cheeks as the fear finally caught up with her. "Draco," she whispered. "Why did you leave me?" Her head was on the ground as she sobbed into the sleeve of her robe until a sound behind her made her sit up in panic.

"You were supposed to be in the tunnel." Draco stood hunched over her with a half smile on his face. His wand arm looked badly injured and he was clutching it with the other. His robes were ripped and there was a small dab of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, but he appeared to be all right and bite free.

"Draco!" Ginny jumped up and threw her arms around him despite the tiny cry of pain he let out. She stood back from him and just stared into his eyes. "I thought…I thought you left me here."

Draco raised his good arm and touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "How many times do I need to tell you," he said softly. "I _came_ here tonight to protect you." For the first time, Ginny saw a genuine smile spread across his face and it melted every last piece of resolve she had in her. Nothing he could say would change the fact that she'd managed to fall head over heels for him in a few short hours.

Ginny grabbed his hand from her cheek and pulled him closer while he kissed the top of her head. "I'm taking you back to your brother," he said. "Let's go find that broom."

**XXXX**

Draco was able to fly Ginny back to the Astronomy Tower, though it took every ounce of energy he had left in him. She'd begged him to let her fly but he would have none of it. Returning to Slytherin Commons was going to be hard enough without someone seeing him being flown back to the castle by a girl.

"_A_ _girl," _Draco thought to himself. _"But not just any girl." _He smiled as he remembered the brutal slap to the face she'd given him earlier and how very much he'd deserved it. He didn't want to let her go.

He pulled himself from his thoughts just as the broom landed on the large stone balcony of the Astronomy Tower, well away from the telescopes and clear out of view from the window. Ginny gave a peak inside before announcing with utter annoyance that Ron was asleep, but added in a small sigh of relief how glad she was that he'd been safe all this time.

"Well," she said in a soft voice. "I suppose I should wake him up and go back to the Common Room."

"Yeah," he said rather gruffly. "Guess this is it, then." Draco couldn't think of a thing to say, though he knew there was a lot going on in his mind. He took a step forward and bent his head near hers, taking her hands in his as he did so. "You've really done something to me tonight, you know?"

"_Gods, but I sound like an idiot," _he thought.

However, Ginny didn't seem to think so as she let her eyes sparkled up at him. "I…I know what you mean." She was bashful again. "I feel the same way."

He released his grasp on her hands and found her face, cupping her chin ever so delicately as he kissed her softly at first, but deepening it as the adrenaline built up in his body from the feel of her touch. It felt like hours before he was able to let her go.

**XXXX**

Ginny's lips were swollen and her eyes bright as she shook her brother awake. It would take a miracle to cover up the giddy feeling she was feeling inside and she knew it needed to be laid to rest before Ron was fully alert. He rolled toward her muttering something about spiders before he sat bolt upright off the floor, staring at her in alarm.

"'S happened? Ginny…what?" He couldn't form a proper sentence yet.

"It's okay Ron. It's all over with and I came to get you." She made her voice as sulky as she possibly could.

"Is it morning? Did the Slytherins give you any trouble?" He stood up from the floor and scratched at the bed head he'd received from sleeping awkwardly on his rumpled cloak.

"No trouble," said Ginny. "Pretty uneventful, to be honest." She rubbed a finger to her lips, remembering the events from the last seven hours. Ginny hated lying to her brother, but in this case the truth would be even worse. Some things were better left unsaid.

"Well," said Ron, staring out the window at the sun beginning to rise. "I guess it's time we head back to the Common Room, then. I brought Harry's invisibility cloak with me in case I'd need it. We can use that going back to avoid the early morning Prefect watch."

"Right," said Ginny. "Let's go, then. I'm pretty tired and could use some more sleep."

Ron blindly threw the cloak over their heads, having no idea how tired Ginny really was.

**XXXX**

Draco slipped into Slytherin Commons as quietly as he could and made his way to one of the squishy couches in front of their fire. He glanced through the glass separating the room from the bottom of the lake and noted that the giant squid slept peacefully on the other side. Draco didn't see the Gryffindor lion clutched in any of the tentacles so he figured it was safe to say Pansy hadn't tossed it into the lake.

As if taking a cue from his thoughts, Pansy walked in through the dungeon door, most likely from her Prefect post. She gave Draco a hopeful smile and ran to sit down next to him.

"I've been keeping my eye out for you for _hours _now. Well," she said. "Is the little wench a wreck?"

Draco drew back slightly at the sound of hearing Ginny being referred to as a wench. "I need the lion, Pansy."

Her face had fallen slightly at his request, but she smiled again, unbelieving that his request was real. "Stop messing with me, Draco. Tell me everything that happened tonight."

Draco kept his face as serious as he possibly could and after several more seconds, Pansy's smile faded for good. "But…but…." Draco wouldn't let her protests continue any further.

"Can you get it for me? I need to take it back." He stared down at his feet, unable to go into any detail about it and wanting to avoid further conversation with her. He was tired, happily confused and wanted that lion back in Ginny's hands before anything else.

Pansy stood up from her place on the couch and stared down at Draco with an unreadable expression. "I'll…I'll be right back."

**XXXX**

As Ginny woke several hours later her eyes adjusted to the crisp autumn sunlight beaming through the crack of the drapery surrounding her four-poster. She yanked them open the rest of the way, wiping the sleep from the creases of her eyes as she did so. Ginny blinked twice as her gaze fell to the worn, wooden nightstand next to her bed. The golden lion mascot sat staring at her with a piece of parchment stuck to its front paws. "Weasley" was all that the front of the parchment said.

Ginny's smile spread across her face as she remembered the dreams she'd been having only minutes before, and even more so of the night she'd had with Draco in the Shack. Her stomach did somersaults as she thought of the way he'd kissed her up on the tower and she touched her finger to her lips once again in recollection.

Ginny peered out into her dormitory to make certain that none of the girls was lingering and, seeing no one, snatched the lion from the nightstand. She withdrew into the protection of her curtains and held it in her hand. This hunk of metal had been the reason behind an incredible amount of grief for Ginny, yet she couldn't help but think that it all had happened for a reason. Beating herself up over the fact that it had been stolen was more than she could take. However, the events that led up to getting it back had completed her in a way that she never thought possible.

Ginny fingered the parchment in her hands for several moments, wondering how he'd managed to get it into her dormitory, but dismissed the question as she unrolled it to view the contents. A familiar fluttering in her stomach returned as Draco's small bit of text smiled subtly up at her from the page.

_Weasley,_

_I suppose it's okay to call you that again now that the sun is officially up. And as for the lion, I figured I owed it to you. Hope you enjoyed Halloween as much as I did._

_XXX,_

_Malfoy_

_PS. I'll be seeing you around, Weasley._

Ginny clutched the parchment in her hands as she gave a soft sigh, smiling to herself. _"Yeah, Malfoy…"_ she thought. _"You bet you will."_

**Author's Note:** _So there you have it. ;) Hope everyone enjoyed my not-so-little short story. It was a nice change of pace for a bit, but now it's time to get back to finishing Don't Wake Me From This Dream. If a plot bunny bites, I might put up something small for Christmas, but we'll see. I'd love to finish the novel length so I can start on a sequel. Thanks for the reviews and for visiting my LJ with comments._


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